Michigan International Speedway Explained

Michigan International Speedway (MIS) is a moderate-banked D-shaped speedway located in Cambridge Township, Lenawee County, Michigan, on the border with Jackson County, approximately south of the village of Brooklyn. Situated on more than [1] in the Irish Hills area of southeastern Michigan, the track is west of the center of Detroit, from Ann Arbor, and south and northwest of Lansing, Michigan and Toledo, Ohio, respectively. MIS is used primarily for NASCAR events. It is sometimes known as a sister track to Texas World Speedway, and was used as the basis of Auto Club Speedway. The track is owned by NASCAR. Michigan International Speedway is recognized as one of motorsports' premier facilities because of its wide racing surface and high banking (by open-wheel standards; the 18-degree banking is modest by stock car standards).

History

Groundbreaking took place on September 28, 1967. Over 2.5e6cuyd of dirt were moved to form the D-shaped oval. The track opened in 1968 with a total capacity of 25,000 seats. The track was originally built and owned by Lawrence H. LoPatin, a Detroit-area land developer who built the speedway at an estimated cost of $4–6 million.[2] LoPatin was President of American Raceways and had a controlling interest in Atlanta International Raceway, Trenton Speedway, Texas World Speedway and Riverside International Raceway until the company went bankrupt in 1971. Financing was arranged by Thomas W. Itin. Its first race took place on Sunday, October 13, 1968, with the running of the USAC 250 mile Championship Car Race won by Ronnie Bucknum.

In 1972, Roger Penske purchased the speedway for an estimated $2 million. During Penske's ownership the track was upgraded several times from its original seating capacity to 125,000. From 1997 to 2000, the track was referred to as Michigan Speedway. This was to keep consistency with other tracks owned by Penske's Motorsports International before its merger with ISC.

In 1999, the speedway was purchased by International Speedway Corporation (ISC) and in 2000 it was renamed to the original Michigan International Speedway. In 2000, 10,800 seats were added via a turn 3 grandstand bringing the speedway to its current capacity. In 2004-2005 the largest renovation project in the history of the facility was ready for race fans when it opened its doors for the race weekend. The AAA Motorsports Fan Plaza—a reconfiguration of over 26acres behind the main grandstand. A new, three-story viewing tower housing the Champions Club presented by AAA and 16 new corporate suites targeted VIP guests, while a press box and a race operations facility high above the 2adj=onNaNadj=on oval welcomed the media and race officials.[2] Michigan was repaved prior to the 2012 season. This marks the first time since 1995 that the oval was resurfaced, along with 1967, 1975, and 1986. Also new for 2012 was the addition of a new 20-space trackside luxury campsite to be known as APEX. Situated in turn 3, each site will offer a 20by area. To accommodate these new campsites, the remaining silver grandstands in turns 3 and 4 were removed.[3]

On January 28, 2019, it was revealed on ISC's 2018 annual report that the speedway's track seating was reduced from 71,000 to 56,000.[4]

Notable accidents

Other events

In addition to motor racing, the venue hosts a number of events, including the Michigan High School Athletic Association's cross country finals for the Lower Peninsula[7] and the annual Make-A-Wish Bicycle Tour.[8] The track also hosts concerts in conjunction with its race weekends. Driving schools are held throughout the year. The Formula SAE competition is now held at MIS, after previously being held in the parking lot of the Pontiac Silverdome. Since 2010, it has hosted the Michigan Wine and Beer Festival,[9] and since 2013, the venue has hosted the country music festival Faster Horses.[10] [11]

Records

Track records

RecordYearDateDriverTimeAverage speed
(mph)
NASCAR Cup Series
Qualifying (one lap) 2014 August 15 34.857 206.558
Race (400 miles) 1999 June 13 2:17:56 173.997
NASCAR Xfinity Series
Qualifying (one lap) 2015 June 13 37.157 193.772
Race (250 miles) 1995 August 19 1:10:46 169.571
NASCAR Truck Series
Qualifying (one lap) 2014 August 15 38.370 187.647
Race (200 miles) 2003 July 26 1:17:54 154.044
CART
Qualifying (one lap) 2000 July 22 30.645 234.949
Race (500 miles) 1990 August 5 2:33:07 189.727
IndyCar Series
Qualifying (one lap) July 26 32.3657 222.458
Race (400 miles) 2006 July 30 2:03:43 193.972

NASCAR Cup Series records

Most wins 9 David Pearson
Most top-5s 21 Cale Yarborough
Most top-10s 31 Mark Martin
Starts 61 Bill Elliott
Poles 10 David Pearson
Most laps completed 11,212 Bill Elliott
Most laps led 1305 Cale Yarborough
Average start* 3.1 Bobby Isaac
Average finish* 7.6 Chase Elliott
*

Lap records

As of June 2019, the fastest official race lap records at Michigan International Speedway are listed as:

CategoryTimeDriverVehicleEvent
D-shaped Oval: 3.219 km (1968–present)[12]
0:30.767[13] 1996 Marlboro 500
0:32.2730[14] 2003 Firestone Indy 400
0:36.093[15] 2018 FireKeepers Casino 400
0:37.3349[16] 2004 Paramount Health Insurance 100
0:38.290[17]
0:38.666[18] 2018 Corrigan Oil 200
Infield Road Course: 3.058 km (1968–present)
1:06.060[19]
1:12.210
1:13.960[20] 1984 Michigan 500k
Extended Road Course: 5.327 km (1968–1994)
1:36.100[21] 1969 Michigan International Can-Am
1:50.300[22] 1971 Michigan Trans-Am round

External links

Notes and References

  1. Web site: About MIS . Michigan International Speedway . May 17, 2013 .
  2. Web site: Track History . https://web.archive.org/web/20090302215752/http://www.mispeedway.com/track_info/history/ . March 2, 2009 . Michigan International Speedway . dead .
  3. News: Bob . Duff . November 10, 2011 . MIS to offer luxury campsites for 2012 NASCAR races . . May 17, 2013 . January 16, 2014 . https://web.archive.org/web/20140116114700/http://blogs.windsorstar.com/2011/11/10/mis-to-offer-luxury-campsites-for-2012-nascar-races/ . dead .
  4. Web site: International Speedway Corporation continues to reduce tack seating . Scott . Page . . . January 27, 2019 . January 29, 2019 .
  5. News: Pruett Takes First Indy-Car Championship . The Albany Herald . Associated Press . July 31, 1995 . 3B . Google News Archive Search . March 26, 2018 .
  6. News: Staff Writer . Major incidents of fan deaths . . June 11, 2005 . March 22, 2013 .
  7. Web site: 2022 Michigan high school cross-country state finals .
  8. Web site: Wish-A-Mile Bicycle Tour . Make-A-Wish Michigan . April 9, 2014 . https://web.archive.org/web/20140616060304/http://www.kintera.org/faf/home/default.asp?ievent=1085062 . June 16, 2014 . dead .
  9. News: Ricky . Olmos . Michigan Beer and Wine Festival draws huge crowd to Michigan International Speedway . May 10, 2014 . February 20, 2015 . MLive .
  10. News: Zeke . Jennings . Faster Horses Festival draws 25,000 to MIS, fan feedback mostly positive . July 20, 2014 . February 20, 2015 . MLive .
  11. News: Faster Horses Festival announces plans for its 4th go-round at MIS. . November 25, 2015 . March 23, 2016 . MLive . Benjamin . Raven .
  12. Web site: Michigan International Speedway - Racing Circuits . RacingCircuits.info . 19 August 2024.
  13. Web site: 1996 Michigan 500 - Round 12 . . 28 July 1996 . 26 May 2022.
  14. Web site: 2003 Michigan Indycars . . 27 July 2003 . 27 May 2022.
  15. Web site: 2018 NASCAR Cup Series FireKeepers Casino 400 . 10 June 2018 . 19 August 2024.
  16. Web site: 2004 Michigan Indy Lights . . 1 August 2004 . 26 May 2022.
  17. Web site: NASCAR Xfinity 2019 Michigan - Fastest Laps . 8 Jun 2019 . 26 May 2022.
  18. Web site: NASCAR Truck 2018 Michigan - Fastest Laps . 11 August 2018 . 26 May 2022.
  19. Web site: Michigan 500 Kilometres 1984 . 16 September 1984 . 30 May 2022.
  20. Web site: IMSA GTU Michigan 1984 . 16 September 1984 . 30 May 2022.
  21. Web site: Can-Am Michigan 1969 . 28 September 1969 . 30 May 2022.
  22. Web site: Trans-Am Michigan 1971 . 6 September 1971 . 30 May 2022.